1 Killed After Vehicle Hits Guard Rail, Strikes Other Vehicle Head-On

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Carver County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a vehicle careened into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle, killing its driver Thursday afternoon.

The sheriff’s office says James O’Brien, 53, of Chaska was heading eastbound on Flying Cloud Drive in Chanhassen when he hit a guard rail, which caused him to careen into oncoming traffic and strike the other vehicle head-on.

O’Brien was injured and transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center. The other driver, 29-year-old Eli Russel, of Dassel, was killed.

The Minnesota State Patrol is now assisting with accident reconstruction. It is not known what caused the driver to hit the guard rail.